TIC training ward councillors on best ways to invest

The Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC) will embark on massive training seminars to the country’s ward councillors with a view to increase investments in their areas.

So far the investment agency has conducted training to all councilors in Kinondoni District in Dar es Salaam, an exercise done at the weekend.

TIC Acting Investment Promotion director Mathew Mnali said at the seminar that it is now the right time for the councillors to be familiar with investment concepts so that they can stimulate businesses in the areas under their jurisdiction.

“Next to Kinondoni will be Ilala, Temeke and other municipalities throughout the country,” he said, adding that TIC aims at building capacity to the country’s ward councillors in matters pertaining to investments.

He called on the participants to come up with investment ideas in their wards that can be implemented in conjunction with other local and international investors with a view to create more jobs and spur economic development.

Mnali said TIC was ready to help the councils to look for investors should Kinondoni Municipal leaders find areas suitable for tourism investment projects that would in turn generate wealth to the wards.

He said the business community members investing in the wards ought to be informed on the various incentives on offer at TIC so that they should benefit from opportunities offered by the government.

Ward councillors were liable to facilitate the investors from outside the country instead of discouraging them so long as they adhere to the laws and regulations of the land, he said.

For his part, Kinondoni Municipality Mayor Yusuph Mwenda hailed the TIC for introducing the training seminars saying the idea was timely.

“The seminar came at the right time…Kinondoni leads other municipalities in luring investment activities in the country,” he said.

He said the councillors will use the acquired knowledge to advance the municipality’s social economic development.

He noted that Kinondoni Municipality is blessed with various tourists attractions such as the beautiful coastline, adding that the seminar will go a long way in helping the municipality think of improving such investments for its development.

One of the councillors, Kimwana Sherally (Special Seats, CCM) said the seminars would help her to know more about foreign investments.

“The idea that all foreign investment is a bad thing is not true,” she said, adding that there is a need to support investments activities so long as they follow operate within the set laws and regulations.